Road to the Ashes 2021/22

[NotMcKenzie]

Use graphics to make each test look like one at the other grounds, and instruct the commentators to tailor their anecdotes accordingly.

 

[Gob]

Use graphics to make each test look like one at the other grounds, and instruct the commentators to tailor their anecdotes accordingly.

Get 12th man to mimic all the commentators

 

[Shady Slim]

seriously jokes aside from my post on the last page, wish we had more tests in the sort of hobart we saw when the saffers toured. until we get a team that can bat against a moving ball we won't do that given the board has no gumption, and refuses to learn to play said moving ball, but up until that most recent india tour that was probably the most entertaining test in australian soil for two years either side of it lol

 

[andruid]

Tim Paine is having neck surgery, but reckons he'll be fit for The Ashes if selected.

He had a Paine in the neck?

 

[GoodAreasShane]

seriously jokes aside from my post on the last page, wish we had more tests in the sort of hobart we saw when the saffers toured. until we get a team that can bat against a moving ball we won't do that given the board has no gumption, and refuses to learn to play said moving ball, but up until that most recent india tour that was probably the most entertaining test in australian soil for two years either side of it lol

*sad Callum Ferguson noises*

Seriously though, that pitch was fun, even though Australia looked pretty useless on it. See those sort of typical Bellerive pitches in the Shield a fair bit, generally someone, usually but not always Jackson Bird, tends to take a bag on the first morning

 

[TheJediBrah]

See those sort of typical Bellerive pitches in the Shield a fair bit, generally someone, usually but not always Jackson Bird, tends to take a bag on the first morning

Made the career of Luke Butterworth. 200+ fc wickets at 24 apiece. If he was from any other state he'd be averaging 35.

 

[GoodAreasShane]

Made the career of Luke Butterworth. 200+ fc wickets at 24 apiece. If he was from any other state he'd be averaging 35.

Butterworth started before the #greentopsforeveryone era, but didn't truly establish himself until later on where said greentops made his otherwise anodyne medium outswingers a real threat.

Reading some of the opinions on Butterworth on some of the ooooooooooold domestic threads is quite something, he copped a fair bit of **** here way back then. Those threads in general are brilliant reading for anyone even half as interested as myself in that sort of thing

 

[Flem274*]

Peter Siddle probably claims the mantle for most disproportionate "whinging copped vs actual performance" of all Aussie bowlers.

How dare he be perfectly fine and selected ahead of probably better bowlers.

 

[Spikey]

go marry a banana if you love Siddle so much

 

[Spikey]

if Luke "Butters" Butterworth played 67 test matches I can ensure you his bowling average would be below 30

 

[Starfighter]

How dare he be perfectly fine and selected ahead of probably better bowlers.

It's the second part that was the issue though.

 

[Flem274*]

It's the second part that was the issue though.

yes and no. i think siddle's career saved at least a couple of the glass quartet. players who are reliable for the ugly and boring jobs like long spells on flat decks are undervalued in general when it comes to fan selected sides.

maybe england, nz, sri lanka or india could get away with the meme (in SL/indias case because spin will bowl so many overs you just pick your two best fast bowlers and give them half an over each per test in some games) but when your home is australia i think it's smart to have at least one long spell bowler up your sleeve.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Nah Siddle wasn't up to it for the last few years that he was in and around the side. They just kept going back to him and there were definitely better options not being selected.

 

[sunilz]

Is Jhye Richardson a better test bowler than Starc ? If Yes then is Starc preferred because of his left arm variety ?

 

[TheJediBrah]

Is Jhye Richardson a better test bowler than Starc ? If Yes then is Starc preferred because of his left arm variety ?

Hard to say now because he's been injured for so long and never had a proper crack, but probably

 

[Midwinter]

Is Jhye Richardson a better test bowler than Starc ? If Yes then is Starc preferred because of his left arm variety ?

Yes, he is preferred for the variety and that he creates rough for Lyon to bowl to.

 

[Starfighter]

yes and no. i think siddle's career saved at least a couple of the glass quartet. players who are reliable for the ugly and boring jobs like long spells on flat decks are undervalued in general when it comes to fan selected sides.

maybe england, nz, sri lanka or india could get away with the meme (in SL/indias case because spin will bowl so many overs you just pick your two best fast bowlers and give them half an over each per test in some games) but when your home is australia i think it's smart to have at least one long spell bowler up your sleeve.

We complained loudest in 2019 when he was selected over Bird in England, a very similar bowler except (in the forum's general opinion) better at the time. Not like he's been injury free throughout his career anyway, he had back issues in 2012 and stress fractures in 2016 - most of us honestly thought his test career was finished when the latter happened.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Yeah I think Aus will win but it’s own batting is fragile these days you’re almost always in the contest if you hit decent areas. Smith’s tendinitis is apparently prett bad so will need to see how fit he is. As always he’s the key to our batting

England were pretty smart in playing the long game last Ashes series by letting Smith repetitively larrop them to all parts. The resulting injury could keep them in this series for longer than they expected.

 

[Nintendo]

Yeah I think Aus will win but it’s own batting is fragile these days you’re almost always in the contest if you hit decent areas. Smith’s tendinitis is apparently prett bad so will need to see how fit he is. As always he’s the key to our batting

A broad, Archer and stoneless England really doesn't scare me that much, even without Smith. If Warner is fit he's as good if not better than Smith in home conditions, and marnus is still there. Head has never failed to cash in against subpar attacks at home and green should be up to it aswell.

 

[morgieb]

Siddle from 2008-2013 was a genuinely class bowler. Not incredible but very, very solid.

2014 onwards he was largely pedestrian. Apart from one dead rubber in England did nothing of significance.